The newest strain of COVID, XBB.1.5. (XBB-dot-1-dot-5) is rapidly spreading. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says currently it accounts for about 18 percent of cases in Louisiana.
Cut 7 (11) “…would imagine.”
Kanter says at this point the new variant is not producing a large increase in severe cases.

Seven years ago today, Governor John Bel Edwards expanded the state’s Medicaid program on his first full day in office which gave more than 500-thousand working Louisianans access to health care. The governor’s communications director Lauren Leist says having more people with health insurance played a critical role in the state’s battle against COVID…
cut 5 (11) “…from COVID”

The National Federation of Independent Business says small business optimism for the near-future has dropped again, for a 12th straight month…
Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

California-based Niagara Bottling announces plans to build a 160-million dollar state-of-the-art production facility near Hammond. Niagara has more than 40 production facilities worldwide and the Tangipahoa Parish facility will be the first location in the state. Construction is set to begin in the second quarter of 2023 and the production facility will employ 70 individuals with an average annual salary of 55-thousand dollars.